He's Cold, I am Still
by jossaphine allibrandi
Summary: Based on a recurring nightmare I had as a child but changed slightly.


I can't move.

My body isn't listening to me, theres nothing I can do, I can't move.

Then breath taking relief when with a sudden jolt of movement I regain control.

Feeling a small hand lace its fingers into mind I use my new found mobility to turn my head town. At my side is a beaming and happy Lilly Luna Potter, nearly four years old she's chubby and sticky with flushed cheeks, delighted to see me despite the horrible place we're in. The horrible place we're in? Where are we? Pulling Lilly close I slowly lift my head and with dread take in the little cafe. We're standing in the centre of the bustling yet eerily silent cafe, Lilly's contented gurgling the is the only sound yet no one is looking at us, its like we're invisible.

"Dada!" Lily chirps pointing one pudgy little finger at tall dark haired man with spectacles sitting alone at a small round table in the corner.

"Harry!" I cry with relief, glad to finally see someone I know yet my call is met with no response.

"Dada Dada Dada" Lilly begins wailing at my side pulling on my legs anything to get us to her father. Scooping her up I turn her away from harry while frantically trying to get his attention. Unaware of my desperate efforts harry calmly asks the sly little man in the apron who must work in the soulless place for the bill. Grinning without any humor he brings the check to harry, turning just enough that I can see the dark rings around his eyes and the black of the pupil. As soon as he reads the tiny scrap of paper harry become still. After a moment I realize that he is frozen just as I was minutes ago. Squeezing Lilly tight I watch as the cold man effortlessly scoops harry up and carry's him to a bath in the centre of the room. Hurrying after him with Lilly I see the man gently, almost lovingly slide Harry's immobile body into the thick black water. I choke on a shriek of horror as Harry's body melts away leaving the skeleton of a man with the skull and antlers of a deer. My horror grows when I hear a delighted laugh and realize its coming from Lilly. Without me noticing she's manage to turn around in my grasp an is clapping her hands in glee at the sight of her fathers mutated skeleton in the bathtub. With a growing sense of horror I realize that the walls are all adorned with countless animal skulls on plaques, trophies of past customers. Still invisible to every one I cover Lilly's mouth with my hand in an attempt to silence her laughter and bolt for the door. Reaching the fresh air out side I gasp for breath then pull us into a hedge to hide.

'You can run but you cant hide' Lilly whispers and I realize with shock that she's no longer in my arms but standing calmly be her self in the middle of the doorway. I watch in horror as the cold man appears from the silent gloom inside and scoops her up. Bursting out of the bush I yell at him, call him abominable names and threaten him, plead with him anything to make him put her down. My pleas fall on deaf ears. He may be able to see Lilly but I am still invisible. Lilly's laughter once again fills my ears and I watch with horror to find that the source of her amusement is two other plaques on the wall. A horse's head and a small dogs skull. I feel sick and yell at the cold dark man, screeching obscenities and threats again. Pausing to draw breath I think, 'why me?'

Almost as if he heard me he croons to Lilly in a dead voice 'You know, she might be the best thing that ever happened to me'

I stop dead in my tracks. I've heard that before.

He whispers again 'So I really need to find that Otter, isn't that right Silly Lilly?'

Only one person in the world calls her Silly Lilly.

'Do you know where she might be?' I watch horror as Lilly's chubby little finger slowly points to me. I'm begging her not to, begging her to point some where else and desperately trying to run but I'm frozen again, frozen still as my fathers eyes slowly follow Lilly's out stretched finger and look directly into mine.


End file.
